MJ's little flock

[LozzyR]

Oh my. That hurts.

The fashion industry has a lot to answer for.

 

[LozzyR]

I'm glad to hear that the new coop is holding up. Hopefully everything is normal for Nyssa.

I’m probably being a touch paranoid; I lost three girls in three months. She’s not giving me any indication that anything is wrong.

 

[BY Bob]

I’m probably being a touch paranoid; I lost three girls in three months. She’s not giving me any indication that anything is wrong.

I would be too. Actually I am.

I feel like I'm chasing ghosts a lot and I'm constantly telling myself so. It's very hard not to worry.

 

[MaryJanet]

Oh my. That hurts.

Doesn't it. That poor woman.

 

[MaryJanet]

I’m probably being a touch paranoid; I lost three girls in three months. She’s not giving me any indication that anything is wrong.

I would be too. Actually I am.

I feel like I'm chasing ghosts a lot and I'm constantly telling myself so. It's very hard not to worry.

Honestly, Loz and Bob, things are so likely to go wrong, there's almost no point in worrying. It will happen, the only question is when.

(I have been internally preparing for Jan's euthanasia, but of course I will wait until such time Mark suggests it as an option for her.)

Much as I'm beginning to see the virtue of clean, concrete floors and pellets all day long, I can't separate the hens from the plants and bugs of the backyard, because it brings them joy. I'd rather they lived a short, joyful life than a long miserable one.

I think our best bet is to keep our flocks ticking along with healthy food and minimal interference, and to accept that some individual hens simply aren't robust enough to withstand a backyard context (and to count our blessings when we have few who are robust enough). And that's got more to do with breeding than husbandry. Selecting for beauty or breed standard is as questionable as selecting for eggs or meat, and I haven't yet found breeders who select for longevity and vitality.

 

[RoyalChick]

We haven’t had rain for a couple of days so it has dried up. The henhouse is doing well, although I really need to get in there and give it a good clean. My three remaining girls seem to be ok, although Nyssa has stopped laying again. I’m hoping that she just needed to get some eggs out of her system and she’s back on winter mode. I’ll have to keep an eye on poops after all the rain. I’m also going to put some shade cloth up on the sides to prevent rain from blowing in sideways.

Glad you are getting dry finally.

 

[RoyalChick]

Mate, fair warning, if Ivy has to confer with Peggy, she will.

View attachment 3177917

Is Lulu allowed to contribute to this discussion?

 

[MaryJanet]

Is Lulu allowed to contribute to this discussion?

View attachment 3178056

She may have to ask Gucci for an overview first

 

[MaryJanet]

Seriously, RC, Lulu is such a lovely little hen!

 

[MaryJanet]

Is Lulu allowed to contribute to this discussion?

View attachment 3178056

Nice cup holder!